Recipients

A recipient object refers to a person who receives a Docusign envelope. Each envelope object must have one or more recipients, and each recipient may have one or more Tabs (also known as fields or tags) defined for them. Each recipient is assigned a specific type, which defines their role in the signing process (see EnvelopeRecipients for details on each type). Any of these recipients can be a remote recipient (who receives the envelope via email), or an embedded recipient (who views, approves, or signs the envelope’s documents directly through your app or website).

For examples of how to work with recipients using the API, see how to assign roles to a recipient and How to request a signature by email.

The following diagram shows the structure of a recipient object, and how it relates to envelopes and documents.

Envelope structure graphic

Recipient types

Each recipient of a Docusign envelope is assigned a specific type that defines their responsibilities in the signing process. Each recipient type and the responsibilities associated with that type are described by the following table. The Name in the UI column contains the label used for the recipient type in the eSignature web app.

Recipient type	Name in the UI	Description
Agents	Specify Recipients	An agent recipient can add name and email information for recipients that appear after the agent in the routing order. You can use this recipient type to designate an agent or manager to set your recipients when you do not know who the eventual signers will be.
Carbon Copies	Receives a Copy	Carbon copy recipients get a copy of the envelope but don’t need to sign, initial, date, or add information to any of the documents. This type of recipient can be used in any routing order. Carbon copy recipients receive their copy when the envelope reaches the recipient’s order in the process flow and when the envelope is completed.
Certified Deliveries	Needs to View	Certified delivery recipients must receive the completed documents for the envelope to be completed. However, they don’t need to sign, initial, date, or add information to any of the documents.
Editors	Allow to Edit	Editors have the same management and access rights for the envelope as the sender. They can make changes to the envelope as if they were using the Correct feature. This recipient can add name and email information, add or change the routing order, and set authentication options for the remaining recipients. Additionally, this recipient can edit signature/initial tabs and text tabs for the remaining recipients. The recipient must have a Docusign account to be an editor.
In Person Signers	In Person Signer	An in person signer recipient is a Docusign user who is in the same physical location as the signer.
Intermediaries	Update Recipients	An intermediary is a recipient who can, but is not required to, add name and email information for recipients at the same or subsequent level in the routing order, unless subsequent agents, editors, or intermediaries are added. You can use this recipient type to set up a recipient as a reviewer of your signer’s information. They can specify details for role recipients and update information for named recipients.
Notary recipients	Signs with Notary	Notaries are a specialized type of recipient that is new with the Notary API, enabling you to notarize documents remotely by having a notary public act as an in-person (online) witness to the electronic signing.
Seals	Electronic Seal	Electronic seal recipients represent legal entities rather than individuals. Electronic seals can be used by organizations and governments to show evidence of origin and integrity of documents.
Signers	Needs to Sign	A signer is a recipient who must sign, initial, date, or add data to text tabs on the documents in the envelope.
Witness	Signs with Witness	A Witness is a recipient who must view and corroborate that a signer has provided their signature.

For details on recipient objects and types, see EnvelopeRecipients.

Not all recipients are available to all account types. Review your account plan to determine which recipient types are available to you. All recipient types are available in the developer environment.

Next steps

Read about important recipient features:

Working with recipients? Learn how to:

Retrieve and interpret recipient status codes
Handle error codes
Assign roles to a recipient and How to request a signature by email
Add Recipient authentication